The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1887-04-21
A DIAMOND STORY.
Tile C:evar work Nav Accomplished ty
DisI,onc-S I-apII.-.e,.

'-sN'''>--a i--@'.------sss
A well known diamond dealer. who
has become an expert from many years
handling CT precious stones. was near
IL taken in 4 few days ago by snrewGi
diamond shark. whose new scheme de-
serves attention. rs it is likely to be ct
tempted in some other quarter. Tho
dodge consists in trying 10 palm off .
cieverly '-doctored" diamond rs 4 very
valuable stone and N telling plausible
aud picturesque story TO give it coan-
tenarce.
The short. stout man. with q erizz!ed.
gray mustache, who tried 10 victim:ze
the jcwe!er in question, brought 10 him
IN e!egant-lcoking solitaire ring. pur-
porting 10 contain diamond of unusual
sizs snd brilliancv. To tho eye even
of the expert the stone looked all right,
and the man tried hard 10 make bar
gain with him at once, without pro-
ceeding any further. As it looked, tho
diamond was easily worth goo. and
the man, who told tale of dire neccs-
sity, offered to sell it for .slG0.
The story of the diamond as told by
the man. who gave tie name Of Charles
Earwood. was that it belonged origin
ally to The Grand Duke Alexis OF Russia.
In December 1871. when ;he Grand
Duke, who was young and handsome,
attended the reception given in bis
honor in the Academy OF Music. an
episode accurred that attracted oonsid-
ersb;e attention st thc time and has
been much talked CT since.
Some time after the promenade, and
when everything was in motion. the at
tention of the Duke. who had gone pp-
stairs with two of the gentleman of tic
committee, was attracted by lady in
one of the corner rows of ciirtu:red
balcony boxes. There were hIt tvo
ladies in the box, one of them Az elder
ly lady and the other tail. beautiful
young woman, about 90 years Of sre.
who had remarkably fine eyes, which
could not fail 10 be noticed.
The Grand Duke expressed desire to
be introduced, which was soon gratificd,
and after standing for few moments
in front of the box he asked permission
to go inside. In little while he asked
the lady to go On the promenade and
otherwise showed his pleasure at meet
ing her. bui she mildly and persistently
refused.
As he rose to 90. The DuEa. holding
her hand moment and slipping from
one of Ills fingers diamond ring. pre-
sented it 10 her and asked her to keep
it as a souvenir of the occasion. The
lady did SO. and kept it for several
years, until st last she fell INTO reduced
circumstances and determined to get
rid OF the ring in spite Of its associa-
tons.
Such, in substance. ere the facts of an
occurrence upon which the man with
the diamond to sell tod his story. He
represented that the diamond he had
was the one given to TINS lady. and he
endeavorcd very clearly TO trace its his
tory to her. The jeweier, however, in
sisted upon removing the stone from the
setting to exsmine il, and this tie man
allowed him to do.
The mans willingness to DO this very
nearly threw the jewcler off his guard
at the last moment. especially rs upon
removing the stone he could sec nothing
wrong with it. Taking up microscopes,
however. he was able 10 detect, with a
close scrutiny, slight variation in the
quality and texture OF the stone between
She middle portions and the ends.
Then he held the stone near lamp.
and in 4 few minutes the whole natrr C
of the ingenious fraud dawned upon
him. 4 small real diamond of inferior
quality fornic,! the top and bottom. and
q fine piece OF crystal had been sand
wiched between them, adding nearly
ten times TO the value of the stone. Ii
mad been 50 cicverly and ingeniously
Pct together with coioriess cc:ien:
that it was almost beyond the power OF
detection. Tie man, of course. express
ed surprise. and asserted that the d:a-
anond WAS Just as he received it'd
EisS.